1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to radiant energy transmission, coupling, analysis and filtering and, more specifically, to fiber optics systems, fiber optics and optical cavity adaptors, and to optical cavity systems.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
The following disclosure statement is made pursuant to the duty of disclosure imposed by law and formulated in 37 CFR 1.56(a). No representation is hereby made that information thus disclosed in fact constitutes prior art, inasmuch as 37 CFR 1.56(a) relies on a materiality concept which depends on uncertain and inevitably subjective elements of substantial likelihood and reasonableness and inasmuch as a growing attitude appears to require citation of material which might lead to a discovery of a pertinent material though not necessarily being of itself pertinent. Also, the following comments contain conclusions and observations which have only been drawn or become apparent after conception of the subject invention or which contrast the subject invention or its merits against the background of developments which may be subsequent in time or priority.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,820,042, by Richard L. Barger, Ph.D., issued Apr. 11, 1989 to Newport Corporation, for optical cavity systems. While a SuperCavity Optical Spectrum Analyzer pursuant to that patent provides up to 200 times the resolution of conventional Fabry-Perot cavities, mode-matching various light sources to the cavity is not always straightforward. Particularly needed are improvements in the coupling of light into the optical cavity from free-space, collimated laser beams, single-mode fibers, and fiber networks.
Also needed is an elimination of the need to mode-match to the optical cavity, while providing a fast method of obtaining high-resolution spectral data on the optical characteristics of light in fiber systems or diode lasers.
It would also be desirable that the optical cavity could be remotely located when, for example, space on optical tables and the like is limited or harsh environmental conditions exist.
Improvements in this respect preferably should be retrofitable to existing optical cavities.
As may for instance be seen from U.S. Pat. No. 4,542,956, by John T. McCrickerd, issued Sep. 24, 1985 for Fiber Optics Transfer Systems, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,753,510 and 4,889,406, by Omur M. Sezerman, issued Jun. 28, 1988 and Dec. 26, 1989, respectively, for Tilt Adjustable Optical Fibre Connectors, and from a publication entitled FIBER OPTIC BEAM COUPLER, by Burleigh Instruments, Inc., prior-art technology does not appear to have met the above mentioned need. Reference may in this respect also be had to a publication by Photonetics/Finnova for fiber optic beam delivery systems, to a publication by York Ventures & Special Optical Products Ltd., entitled LDS Laser Delivery System, and to publications by NSG AMERICA, INC. for their SELFOC Fiber Collimators, and the Theory and Design of the SELFOC Lens.
Application of optical fiber technology to telecommunication has been disclosed by Stephen R. Mallinson, in "Wavelength-selective filters for single-mode fiber WDM systems using Fabry-Perot interferometers", Appl. Opt., Vol. 26, No. 3, p. 430 (1 Feb. 1987). Reference should in this respect also be had to J. Stone and L. W. Stutz, "Pigtailed High-Finesse Fibre Fabry-Perot Intrferometer with Large, Medium, and Small Free Spectral Ranges", Electronics Letters, Vol. 23, No. 15, p. 781 (16th July, 1987).